


Bad Pick Up Lines

by Mikan42



Series: Drabbles and Moments [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Piper saves the day, innocent Nico, innuendos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 04:59:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2455652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikan42/pseuds/Mikan42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will tries pick up lines. Nico is confused. Piper saves the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Pick Up Lines

Piper took one look at Nico's scowling face and knew it was going to be a long four hours. They were both in charge of cleaning out the stables and she had been hoping to get a chance to talk to the son of Hades who was always too busy dating Will and hanging out with him to spend time with any of them as of late. The boy shuffled over to one of the pens and pulled himself up on the door, gesturing for Piper to do the same.

“You know we actually have to clean this place up, right?” 

“Hush” Nico raised his hands and six skeletons crawled out of the ground. Piper would have been afraid if half of them hadn't been carrying brooms and the other half mops. As it were, she laughed delightedly. 

“Genius Nico!”

He half shrugged. “We still have to keep an eye on them, but at least we won't get dirty. I can stay and make sure they finish if you want.” 

Piper took another long look at him while he stared at the skeletons. These last few months had done wonders on the boy: muscles had begun appearing where only skin and bone had been before. His skin had a healthy glow to it, his hands gestured when he talked, his eyes sparkled when he laughed. And Will had finally dragged him to her cabin a few weeks ago for a much needed haircut. In conclusion, Piper was looking at a completely different person, someone that actually seemed happy.

And yet the scowl was back on his face. 

“I think I'll stay, if I go back to the cabin I'll probably find some other chore to do. Plus, I feel like you and I haven't talked in a while. Good time as any to catch up.” She mentioned with a smile, catching the boy by surprise. “So, you going to tell me what's got you down in the dumps?”

His frown deepened before he bit his lip. “It's nothing really, just,...” Piper waited patiently, giving the boy the time to order his thoughts. “Will's been acting kinda weird lately. He just says things that don't make sense and when I try to help he gets mad and walks away.”

“Problems in paradise then?” She laughed while Nico tilted his head in confusion. “What kind of things?”

“Like, he offered to carry my books the other day. And I wasn't carrying any books, we were just going to the dining pavilion, so what was I supposed to be carrying? Or yesterday he said 'Do you mind if I stare at you up close, instead of from across the room?'” Nico badly mimicked his southern accent. “So I told him that the same thing used to happen to Jason, remember? On the Argo II? He kept having to walk up close to the maps and books before you all figured out he needed glasses? So I told him maybe he needed glasses and he got really offended! I was only trying to help!” At some point he had started following up his ranting with wide hand gestures.

“And this morning! He comes up to me before breakfast and asks me if I had realized that screw rhymes with me and you. Like, what am I supposed to do with that information? Does he really think that only Apollo's kids know how to rhyme? Cause yeah, in English it's a bit harder than in Italian cause all the pronunciation is whacked off, but it's not that difficult!”

Piper held her tongue, she was biting down on her knuckles so hard she was sure she'd break skin in a matter of seconds.

“And like twenty minutes ago he asked me if I was from Tennessee.” He told her, dead serious. “I mean, he knows I'm Italian, why would he even think I'm from Tennessee? Does he even know where Italy is? Does he know where Tennessee is?”

“It's probably because you're the only Ten he sees.” Piper responded automatically. Her heart went out to Will Solace, it really did. And then it just clicked. Piper mentally unclicked it again in her head and reclicked it, just in case.

Yes. That seemed about right.

Oh Gods.

“Nico, can I ask you a question, a bit out of nowhere,...” Piper began, stalling for time. Nico shrugged and she took the plunge. “Are you and Will, not dating?”

She would asked if they were dating, but it didn't make any sense to her. She thought they had started dating weeks ago. Hades, the entire camp thought they had been dating for at least a month! She had talked with Jason and Hazel and frigging Reyna about what a cute couple they made. Weeks ago!

“What?!” Nico spluttered, turning redder than one of Apollo's cows. “No! Why would you think that? We're just friends!” He avoided her gaze and turned his attention to skeleton number four who was currently mopping the pen in front of them. “He doesn't like me like that anyway.” He mumbled, and Piper thanked all the gods she knew that her world was making sense again. Stretching her hands in front of her she grinned.

“You're joking, right? The only reason you're not beating people off with a stick is because Will growls at anyone that comes close. If he could I'm sure he'd pee on you to mark you up as his. All those conversations are attempts at 'picking you up', he- ”

“Hey! I know I'm short but I don't need to be picked up!” Piper was able to straight face through that comment for a full five seconds before a snort turned into a chuckle and finally evolved into a stomach aching laugh that almost made her fall off the stable door. When she finally calmed down she pulled Nico into a one armed hug.

“Look Nico, first thing's first, when you have a free hour this week come over to my cabin and ask for Mitchell, he can give you a talk that's a bit overdue. Or you can go to Chiron, but I recommend Mitch first. Second, normally I wouldn't rush these things, but I think it might need a push. Cause you like Will, right? You want to be more than friends?” The boy tried to look away to hide the blush, but Piper's grip was strong. In the end he gave a slight nod. “Well, that settles it. Next time you see Will, ask him if he has a map.”

“A map?” He parroted. 

“Yes, because you keep getting lost in his eyes. You've got to be looking at his eyes Nico, this is very important.” The boy was blushing so hard Piped doubted blood was reaching any other part of his body.

“That. That is the corniest thing I have ever heard. That is never going to work.”

Piper ruffled his hair. “Believe me, it will. And if that doesn't ask him 'If I flip a coin what are my chances of getting head?' and he'll literally fall on his knees for you Nicks.” She saw his confused expression and the way the innuendo soared half a mile over his head, but then she remembered that they had been notdating for like a month, so she stopped feeling guilty.

“On second thought, go have that talk with Mitchell now. You kinda really need it before thinking about doing anything about Solace.”

The skeletons finished cleaning and they made their way to the Aphrodite cabin together, talking and joking.

Piper just hoped she had enough drachmas to make all the IM's she needed to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any prompt is welcome, I'm also on tumblr at kaillinnehc

**Author's Note:**

> any prompt is welcome, I'm also on tumblr at kaillinnehc


End file.
